Welding unit equipped with a communications interface and method for operating the welding unit

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a welding device ( 1 ) having a current source ( 2 ) for supplying electrical energy to at least one electrode and a control and/or evaluation unit ( 4 ) co-operating with the current source ( 2 ), having an input device ( 57 ) for setting various welding parameters, characterised in that a communications interface ( 23 ) connected to the control and/or evaluation unit ( 4 ) is provided in order to set up a two-way data exchange between the welding device ( 1 ) or the current source via a web-server, in particular a HTTP server.

Applicants claim priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 of Austrian ApplicationNo. A 1408/99 filed Aug. 16, 1999. Applicants also claim priority under35 U.S.C. 371 of PCT/AT00/00221 filed Aug. 16, 2000. The international,application under PCT article 21(2) was not published in English.

The invention relates to a welding device having a current source forsupplying electrical energy to at least one electrode and a controland/or evaluation unit, cooperating with the current source. Theevaluation unit has an input device for setting various weldingparameters. There is also a communication interface connected to thecontroller evaluation unit to set up a two-way data exchange between thewelding device or the current source via a web server such as a HTTPserver. The invention also relates to, a method of operating a weldingdevice as well as a control and/or evaluation system for a weldingdevice.

A welding control system for a welding device is known from patentdocument U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,066 A, in which the welding device is ableto retrieve data from a data bank via a network. This being the case,the welding device is connected to a network, in particular a computernetwork, by means of a communications interface, in particular a RS 232,so that corresponding data located in the network can be downloaded froma computer or a data bank via this data connection. The disadvantage ofthis system is that only one location-related data exchange can beoperated with other components, such as a data bank or a computer.

Also known from the report entitled “Implementation of computer systemfor production and QA/QC in the Öresund link high bridge project”, isthe idea of using a computer system for quality assurance and fordocumentation purposes. In this computer system, welding drawings, testprotocols, etc., are produced, entered and stored, in particular on aserver, and can then be retrieved by another computer via a modem. Thedisadvantage of this system is that the data transferred via thecomputer can be retrieved by one other computer only, after which thedevices, in particular the welding devices, have to be configured byskilled personnel on the basis of the transferred data.

A system is known from patent document EP 0 825 506 A2, whereby severalclients are able to access a remotely disposed server via the internetor via an intranet and run a corresponding data exchange. A server isinstalled upstream of the terminal devices, to which the individualterminal devices are connected via a bus system. The way in which thedata transfer is operated is that external devices link up to theserver, which in turn communicates with the terminal devices linked bythe bus system.

Methods of controlling welding devices and current sources as well as acontrol system needed for this purpose are known, in which variouswelding parameters such as a welding current, an additive, a weldingmethod, etc., can be set from an input and/or output device and thecontrol system operates the individual components of the welding deviceon the basis of the set welding parameters so that a user can start acorresponding welding process.

The underlying objective of the present invention is to propose awelding device and a method for operating a welding device, which can beremotely operated and by means of which status data can be determinedremotely and maintenance carried out remotely.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a welding device having a current source, atleast one electrode, a control and evaluation unit, an input device, acommunications interface, a sensor system and a HTTP server incommunication with the control and evaluation unit. The advantage ofthis system is that data can be forwarded to the welding device from aremote site and a data reading relating to the welding device or awelding process can be taken and transmitted over long distances. Byincorporating a web server or HTTP server of the type known from theprior art, standardised software programmes can be used for the two-waydata traffic, thereby ensuring compatibility with a whole range ofconnection possibilities such as data banks and the most varied ofcommunication partners and communication equipment. Another advantageresides in the fact that this option of transmitting data remotely meansthat maintenance and software updates can be run remotely, as can accessto external welding data banks in which special welding processes onwelding settings are stored, thereby saving on the high travelling coatinvolved in sending a service engineer out.

The term data is intended to include software programmes which can beselectively forwarded to the welding device or read from it, providingan effective means of amending configurations, searching for errors andcontrolling and monitoring the welding device. In particular, all theinformation or data of a welding process to be run can be fully accessedfrom the welding device, which enables faulty conditions to be avoidedand provides an easy way of assessing the quality and productivity ofthe welding process. Moreover, it is possible to set up a centralcontrol or operating or monitoring system for several welding devices sothat the welding engineer can concentrate on his main job since settingscan be entered and the welding device monitored from a central point oralternatively from several remote sites. The option of being able tomanage and monitor the welding device and the welding processes from acentral site or alternatively from several different remote sites allowsthe system to be automated, which can increase the quality andproductivity of welding jobs. Servicing and order processing aresimplified in particular and can be operated much more quickly, whilstthe welding device can be maintained and configured remotely.Furthermore, online help services can be accessed through thecommunications interface which means that it will not usually benecessary to stop work or to leave the working area.

In one embodiment, the HTTP server can be disposed adjacent to thewelding device or in the current source, in another embodiment the HTTPserver can be disposed external to the welding device or current source.This HTTP server can establish a connection to a primary network such asthe Internet or an Intranet for data exchange with another HTTP server.These designs are of advantage because they provide an easy means ofconnecting into an already existing or configured network.

Another embodiment of the invention is that the control or evaluationunit is a computer unit which operates via software modules of a controlprogram and processes and prepares received data and/or data to betransmitted. This design has advantages since it offers a welding devicewhich can be readily adapted to the individual requirements of the userand is also flexible if any changes have to be made subsequently.

The invention can also include a communications interface that is aTCP/IP interface that enables a communication to be operated using theTCP/IP protocol. An advantage of this embodiment is that it enables thewelding device to be connected into data transmission networks coveringa wide area, which means that virtually everybody will be able tobenefit from the advantages of the welding device proposed by theinvention.

In this case, the communications interface can be designed to link intoa local area network such as the Internet, or to a global network suchas the Internet. With this embodiment, welding process data or settingsspecific to the internal company or worldwide can be transmitted to aspecific welding device or from a specific welding device.

Also of advantage is an embodiment wherein the welding device has acontrol or evaluation unit that has a standardized interface wherein thewelding device is connected with a coupling device on the network by acommunication device such as a modem or a network card. This feature isbeneficial, since the welding device may be docked into the primarynetwork or separated from the primary network in full security.

In the embodiment described above, the standardized interface can be aserial interface such as a RS 232 interface. The advantage of thisembodiment is that the welding device can be connected to standardcommercially available PC-compatible components, which means that itsfunctions can be significantly increased whilst reducing on hardwarecosts.

With the embodiment of the welding device having a modem, the connectionwith remote communication partners or communication system is effectedvia a tried and tested, very widely used communication means.

An embodiment that includes data for welding processes that can bedownloaded for additional configuration of the welding device enableswelding processes to be monitored seamlessly and influenced at any time.In addition, the welding device may be re-configured or now settingsentered using smaller quantities of transmission data in the form ofcodes. These re-configurations or new settings for the welding devicecan be handled particularly rapidly, inexpensively and securely sincethe smallest quantities of data are transmitted in the form of codesused to select specific data and programme packages stored in the memorysystem of the welding device.

In an embodiment wherein the data relating to operating supplies such asquantity or nature of the welding electrode includes a fusable weldingwire, an inert gas, and/or data relating to components susceptible towear such as a contact sleeve, a gas nozzle or similar type device maybe transmitted or retrieved from other network participants via thenetwork. This embodiment has the advantage that since any stoppage ofthe welding device due to a lack of operating supplies can be virtuallyruled out, and data uploads can be left to run automatically, thisdesign virtually obviates the need for human supervision.

In another design, features such as the duration of use, or otherwelding settings may be retrieved from at least one other networkparticipant and transferred to another network participant. This type ofembodiment enables the quality and productivity of the welding processto be monitored from globally dispersed sites or at a production site,allowing steps to be taken if necessary to optimise the system.

Another embodiment of the invention involves a design wherein the inputdevice is set up to operate the welding device and select or navigatethe data and select data files for welding technology. This type ofdesign has been found to be of advantage since the input device can beused for multiple functions and the application of the input device isbasically standard so that there is no need for special training.

Another embodiment of the invention involves data managed by the controlor evaluation unit so that data entered by the input device or retrievedfrom the primary network can be displayed or indicated by signals on anoutput device cooperating with the welding device. This design definesan embodiment which makes it easier for the user to operate the weldingdevice and monitor the welding device.

Another embodiment of the invention reveals that the control and/orevaluation unit comprises a personal computer which has an opticaloutput device such as a monitor. This design has proved to be ofadvantage since it enables the wedding device to be built relativelyinexpensively and made ready for use at any time.

In another embodiment the software modules are formed as object orientedprogramming language and are of advantage because the software programmeis clearly structured and can be divided into a logical programmeelement and modules for managing and controlling the components of thewelding device.

Another embodiment enables the individual software modules to be loadedsubsequently at any time and these new software modules to be seamlesslyintegrated in the programme sequence.

In another embodiment of the invention, the control or evaluation unitis designed to operate the software modules on a cyclical or interruptcontrol controlled basis. This embodiment defines an advantageousembodiment which makes it possible to respond very rapidly to safetycritical states depending on the respective priority of the states thathave occurred or are prevailing.

An embodiment of the invention is also disclosed wherein the softwaremodules are written in JAVA source language, wherein the control orevaluation unit has a JAVA interpreter that can be operated to read theJAVA source language. This type of design is of advantage because anetwork-optimised programming language is selected, which is independentof the corresponding target hardware and independent of the machine codeof the target hardware and can therefore be widely distributed without aknowledge of the target hardware.

In another embodiment, JAVA based processor can be used, wherein this isof advantage because it obviates the need for JAVA interpreters andshortens the system running times.

In another embodiment, there is a communications interface that isdesigned to set up a wireless data transmission route to the desiredcommunication transmission system or communication partner. Thisembodiment is advantageous because the welding device is mobile almostwithout restriction and the connection to the respective networkparticipant or communication device can still be maintained.

In another embodiment, the communication interface can be an infraredinterface for transmitting or receiving infrared signals between thewelding device and a mobile telephone. With this design, there is noneed for cable connections to integrate the welding device in a primarydata network and there is no problems using tried and tested,functionally secure components.

In another embodiment, the communications interface is designed toconnect directly or indirectly via a network with a programming displayunit provided as a stand-alone unit. This embodiment defines anadvantageous embodiment since it enables servicing operations, remoteanalyses, status investigations, configuration changes and similar to beoperated in a simple manner.

The objective of the invention is also independently achieved by amethod of operating a welding device wherein this method includes thesteps of controlling an energy source via a control or evaluation unitto apply electrical energy to at least one electrode. This control andevaluation unit can process software modules and operates on the basisof a pre-set set of instructions and any specific settings entered. Withthis design, there is a communications interface wherein softwaremodules or data can be sent to a web server, such as a HTTP server orretrieved from a web server such as a HTTP server, The advantage of thisapproach is that the welding device can be re-configured particularlyquickly and very conveniently and the welding process being run on thewelding device can be monitored on a fully automated basis, as canmonitoring of the status of the welding device itself. Another advantageresides in the fact that the data bases can be centrally maintained,which means that the software modules to be processed are constantlykept up to date. Furthermore, it is an easy matter to store therespective data on a decentralised basis, thereby protecting againstloss.

A feature of this method can be that the software modules that run orcontrol the evaluation unit are determined by codes transmitted by anetwork. This design is of advantage because the load on the network canbe kept very low and the welding device can also be adapted particularlyquickly.

Another design, is such that the method includes the steps oftransmitting the operation data relating to operating supplies operatingstatuses or similar such that this can be transmitted to other networkparticipants or retrieved by other network participants via the webserver. This process also includes the step wherein the evaluationcircuit controls a welding process that the resultant data istransmitted to other network participants. This process is of advantage,enabling stoppages or down-time of the welding device to be largelyavoided and providing a means for assessing the quality and productivityof the welding process from a central site.

A variant of this method is that the messages or service requests whichrelate to stocks of operating supplies and/or orders of operatingsupplies can be downloaded from the control or evaluation unit to othernetwork participants. This feature is of advantage because it ensuresthat the welding device is provided with operating supplies as and whenneeded, obviating the need to keep a stock of operating supplies orspare parts for the welding device. Automation also makes the systemhighly reliable.

Finally in another method, the device can use a local area network suchas an Intranet or a global network such as the Internet to load ortransfer data or software modules In this case, the feature is ofadvantage because the benefit of the welding device proposed by theinvention can be used virtually anywhere and by anybody withoutrestriction, which means that it will be widely used and gain a highdegree of acceptance.

The objective of the invention is also achieved by the features of theinvention wherein a control or evaluation unit has a communicationsinterface that can connect to a primary network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages of this embodiment will be explained in the descriptionin more detail on the basis of examples of embodiments.

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to theexamples of embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings.

Of these:

FIG. 1 is a very simplified, schematic diagram of a welding devicecoupled with a primary network for data transmission by wire;

FIG. 2 is a very simplified diagram of a welding device;

FIG. 3 is a very simplified diagram of another embodiment of a weldingdevice;

FIG. 4 is a very simplified diagram of several data processing systemsand welding devices networked with one another from globally dispersedsites with an internet connection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Firstly, it should be pointed out that the same parts described in thedifferent embodiments are denoted by the same reference numbers and thesame component names and the disclosures made throughout the descriptioncan be transposed in terms of meaning to same parts bearing the samereference numbers or same component names. Furthermore, the positionschosen for the purposes of the description, such as top, bottom, side,etc., relate to the drawing specifically being described and can betransposed in terms of meaning to a new position when another positionis being described. Individual features or combinations of features fromthe different embodiments illustrated and described may be construed asindependent inventive solutions or solutions proposed by the inventionin their own right.

FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a welding system or a welding device 1 forrunning a whole variety of welding processes, e.g. MIG/MAG welding andTIG or WIG welding. The welding device 1 comprises a current source 2with a power component 3, a control and/or evaluation unit 4 and aswitching element 5 co-operating with the power component 3 or thecontrol and/or evaluation unit 4. Connected to the switching element 5or the control unit 4 is a control valve 6, disposed in a supply line 7for a gas 8, in particular an inert gas such as carbon dioxide,nitrogen, helium or argon and such like, between a gas storage 9 and awelding torch 10.

A wire feed device 11 may also be activated via the control and/orevaluation unit 4, in which case a welding wire 13 will be fed from asupply drum 14 via a supply line 12 into the region of the welding torch10. The current needed to generate an arc 15 between the welding wire 13and a workpiece 16 is fed via a supply line 17, 18 from the powercomponent 3 of the current source 2 to the welding torch 10 and thewelding wire 13.

Clearly, the wire feed device 11 may also be integrated in the housingof the welding device 1, instead of being provided as a separate device,forming a compact, single-piece unit in the standard manner.Furthermore, in addition to supplying the welding wire 13 from a supplydrum 14, it is possible to set up welding devices 1 as proposed by theinvention to process bar electrodes. Moreover, the design proposed bythe invention may be used on welding devices 1 without fusibleelectrodes, in particular on welding devices 1 for resistance weldingprocesses or friction welding processes.

Consequently, the design of welding devices 1 proposed by the inventionis not dependent on welding methods, nor does it depend on the use of aninert gas atmosphere.

In order to cool the welding torch 10, it may be connected to a watercontainer 21 via a cooling circuit 19, with a flow indicator 20connected in between, so that when the welding torch 10 is switched on,the cooling circuit 19 is activated by the control and/or evaluationsystem 4 so that the welding torch 10 and a gas nozzle of the weldingtorch 10 are cooled. Naturally, it would also be possible to use anexternal cooling circuit 19, in a manner known from the prior art.

The welding device 1 additionally has an input and/or output device 22,by means of which a whole range of welding parameters or operating modesof the welding device 1 can be set. The welding parameters entered atthe input and/or output device 22 are forwarded to the control and/orevaluation unit 4. The individual components of the welding device 1 areactivated on the basis of these settings. To this end, it would also bepossible for the welding device 1 to be connected to an external inputand/or output device 22 which can be switched on as required, such as acomputer, a PLC or an operating unit, etc.

The control and/or evaluation unit 4 is connected to at least onecommunications interface 23, as may be seen more clearly from FIG. 2, sothat a two-way data exchange can be run between the welding device 1 orthe current source and a web server, in particular a HTTP server 24,i.e. a communications interface 23 is provided as a means oftransferring data to the welding device 1 or from the welding device 1,this system being set up to establish a connection with a web server, inparticular a HTTP server 24, either wirelessly or on a hard-wired basis.Consequently, the welding device 1 is set up so that it can at leastreceive data via the communications interface 23 from a primary network25 or a data transfer can be run from the primary network 25. Bypreference, however, the communications interface 23 of the weldingdevice 1 is configured so that electronically processable data can beboth received and transferred or transmitted, enabling a two-way datatransmission route to be set up between several network participants. Ifnecessary, it would also be conceivable to set up the communicationsinterface 23 so that is can only send or transfer data of the weldingdevice 1 to other participants in the network 25 located at remotesites.

The web server, in particular the HTTP server 24, is disposed in thewelding device 1 or the current source 2. Clearly, it would also bepossible for the web server, in particular the HTTP server 24, to bedisposed externally to the welding device 1 or the current source 2, inparticular in a computer or personal computer 26, i.e. a directconnection can be established by connecting the communications interface23 to an external device, in particular the personal computer 26, alaptop, a networked computer system etc., on the web server, inparticular the HTTP server 24, as may be seen from FIG. 3.

The web server, in particular the HTTP server 24, is set up in such away that it will establish a connection with the primary network 25, inparticular the INTERNET and/or an INTRANET, so that data can beexchanged with one of many other web servers, in particular a HTTPserver 27 or another communication transmitter linked to the HTTP server27. This being the case, the other HTTP server 27 may in turn be set upthrough a welding device 1 with the HTTP server 24 in a manner similarto the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2 or 3 or the stand-alonepersonal computer 26. The advantage of operating a data transfer in thismanner is that servicing no longer has to be carried out on site.Furthermore, inexpensive adaptations can be made to the welding device1, in particular software modifications or software updates, without aservice engineer having to be present on site.

The communications interface 23 of the welding device 1 is preferablyprovided in the form of an interface to a standard data transmissionnetwork, in particular to a hard-wired data transmission network. Thewelding device 1 may be connected to the primary network 25 by means ofa network cable 28, which will establish the electrical connectionbetween the communications interface 23 and the HTTP server 24 and anexternal network interface 29, in particular a network socket 30.

Instead of providing a hard-wired connection between the welding device1 and at least one other communication transmission system, it wouldalso be possible to set up a wireless data transmission route. Thisbeing the case, the data transmission may be operated by radio viaelectromagnetic waves or alternatively on an optical basis, preferablyusing infrared signals. If using optical data transmission, thecommunications interface 23 will be set up to operate in conjunctionwith an interface for transmitting and/or receiving infrared signals,having a communication system specifically configured to communicatewith an interface for transmitting and/or receiving infrared signals, inparticular the interface of a mobile telephone for transmitting and/orreceiving infrared radiation. To this end, the HTTP server 24 may bedirectly integrated in the communications interface 23 or a wirelessdata connection established with the HTTP server 24. In this case, thewelding device 1 or the mobile telephone will be connected to thedesired communications transmitter and extended via the public telephonenetwork.

Clearly, it would also be possible to set up the optical communicationsinterface 23 of the welding device 1 to operate with the correspondingoptical network interface 29, in which case the corresponding data wouldbe transmitted to the optical network interface 29 wirelessly and thenforwarded to the primary network 25 by wire. The transfer of data fromthe network 25 to the welding device 1 may be operated on a similarbasis. The crucial factor if using an optical network interface 29 is toensure that there is a sight connection between the opticalcommunications interface 23 of the welding device 1 and the opticalnetwork interface 29, which can be achieved by positioning the weldingdevice 1 accordingly.

If data transfers are operated on the basis of an optical orelectromagnetic system via a mobile telephone with an interface fortransmitting and/or receiving infrared radiation, it will merely benecessary to set up the dial-up connection to the desired communicationtransmission system and link the interface of the mobile telephone fortransmitting and/or sending infrared radiation to the opticalcommunications interface 23 on the welding device 1 and initiate thedesired connection structure.

The primary network 25 may be set up to operate through an electricalnetwork 25 only or alternatively through an optical network fortransmitting optical signals, to take advantage of high datatransmission rates and low susceptibility to interference fromelectromagnetic fields.

The network 25 set up to communicate between several networkparticipants or communication devices may be based on a local areanetwork 31 (LAN) internal to the company and/or on a global network 32linking various sites (WAN). It would also be possible to link the localarea network 31 into the wide area network 32 or to couple the networks31, 32 with one another.

For transferring data to the local area network 31, it is preferable touse standardized TCP (Transmission Protocol) or IP (Internet Protocol)as the communication protocols. Accordingly, the communicationsinterface 23 of the welding device 1 is a TCP/IP interface. The localarea network 31 is therefore preferably set up as an INTRANET network oranother network built on the TCP/IP protocol system. For example, thenetwork 25 might be set up as an ETHERNET or ARCNET system.

As may be more clearly seen from FIGS. 1 to 4, the welding device 1 canbe connected via the communications interface 23 and the HTTP server 24,27 into the wide area network 32 either directly or indirectly via thelocal area network 31. The communications interface 23 is thereforedesigned to link into an INTRANET 33 and/or directly into the INTERNET34. The wide area network 32 is preferably based on the known INTERNET34 which enables communication with any communications devicesdistributed worldwide but selectively addressable, all having HTTPservers 24, 27, through the TCP/IP protocol.

FIG. 4 in particular provides a very simple illustration of one possiblecommunications set-up between several welding devices 1 and othernetwork participants or other communication devices.

The control and/or evaluation unit 4 of the welding device 1 may be orincorporate a standard, commercially available computer unit 35, inparticular a personal computer 36. The computer unit 35 or personalcomputer 36 in the welding device 1 will have the standardcommunications interface 23 with the HTTP server 24 for communicatingwith freely selectable communication devices also fitted with the HTTPserver 24 or 27 in the primary network 25.

The various welding devices 1 and network participants 37 are deployedat globally distributed user sites 38 to 43, it also being possible fora plurality of welding devices 1 and network participants 37 at therespective user sites 38 to 43 to communicate with one another.

Each of the user sites 38 to 40 has a respective local area network 31,to which the welding devices 1 and other network participants 37 arelinked and therefore able to exchange data with one another.

By network participants 37 is meant conventional personal computers 44,data storage systems 45, simple data display units 46 such as terminalsand automation systems 47 or programmable logic controllers (PLC) forautomating any technical or industrial process sequences. The automationsystems 47 will have a plurality of inputs and/or outputs via which theprocess to be automated can be monitored and controlled. Conventionalfield bus systems 48 will be used to connect the automation system 47 tothe devices to be controlled. This being the case, the automation system47 may control a welding robot, in which case the welding device 1 willthe welding robot.

Similarly, the welding device 1 may also have a sensor system 49, bymeans of which data relevant to a welding process can be detected duringoperation and forwarded to the welding device 1. The sensor unitco-operating with the welding device 1 may be designed to detect thewelding current rating, temperature conditions, the burning depth, thecharacteristic features of the arc, guiding of the welding torch andsimilar. The welding process data picked up by the sensor system 49 usedfor assessing the quality or a welding process or for detecting currentwelding performance is transferred to the welding device 1, where it isprepared or optionally processed and can then be despatched to othernetwork participants for evaluation via the communications interface 23and the HTTP server 24 or selectively retrieved by other networkparticipants 37, such as the personal computer 44 for example.

The local area networks 31 at the individual user sites 38 to 40 may beprotected against external unauthorised access by means of a dataprotection device 50, known as a Firewall. This data protection device50 is also designed to prevent unauthorised persons from entering datain the network 31 or in the welding devices 1 or network participants37.

The welding devices 1 or the local area networks 31 are linked into theworldwide internet 34 via appropriate access systems 51, in particularwhat are known as Internet service-providers. A clearly distinguishablecode or address 52 is allocated to each welding device 1 or each networkparticipant 37 so that the respective welding device 1 or the respectivenetwork participant 37 can be selectively contacted or called as well asunambiguously identified from a plurality of welding devices 1 ornetwork participants 37 if data is being downloaded. The address 52 orthe so-called e-mail address is managed by the Internet serviceproviders or by the respective access system 51 to the internet 34.

The control and/or evaluation system 4 of the welding device 1 ispreferably provided in the form of a processor control, which operateson the basis of a predetermined sequential programme. The sequentialprogramme may be made up of a plurality of software modules whichtogether form the complete control programme. The control and/orevaluation unit 4 is set up to run the software modules in cycles and/oron an interrupt-controlled basis.

The software modules to be run by the control and/or evaluation system 4may be permanently or temporarily stored in a memory system 53 of thewelding device 1. This being the case, the memory system 53 may be madeup of digital technology memory modules, a hard disk storage or otherknown data memory systems known from the prior art. In addition to thesoftware modules to be run, process data or intermediate results of theprocessor control and pre-set characteristics may also be permanently ortemporarily stored in the memory system 53.

It will then be possible, via the communications interface 23 or throughthe link into the network 25, to read data or software modules from thewelding device 1 or transfer them to the welding device 1. Inparticular, the software modules to be run by the control and/orevaluation system can be replaced by new software modules transferredvia the network 25. Consequently, once updated with the new softwaremodules, the welding device 1 can be run on the basis of anothersequential programme. This means that it will now be possible for otheror modified functions to be set up on the welding device 1 via thenetwork 25, thereby establishing a system of remote control or remoteoperation of the welding device 1.

Similarly, it is also possible to store a plurality of software modulesor control programmes in the memory system 53 and selectively activate anew control programme on the basis of codes received via the network 25,which can then be run by the control and/or evaluation unit 4.

Similarly, data updates can be transferred across the network 25 to thewelding device 1, these updates being activated from a remotely locatedsite.

Through software updates and by transferring codes, it will therefore bepossible to add to or reduce the functions of the welding device 1. Forexample, software modules updated to incorporate functions requested bythe manufacturer of the welding device 1 can be transferred to therespective welding devices 1 at the customer sites and integrated in thecontrol and/or evaluation unit 4 of the welding device 1. If the weldingdevice 1 is incorporated in the network 25, the output capacity of thewelding device 1 can be easily increased by the manufacturer, once thecorresponding owner of the welding device 1 has settled the requisitefees. The capacity can be altered in many ways simply by adapting thecontrol programme, so that various classes of output can be achievedwith a specific hardware configuration advantageously enabling themanufacturer to increase the number of products processed without anydetrimental effect on the number of types.

Likewise, remote maintenance operations can be run on globallydistributed welding device 1 from a central site or from a manufacturingsite of the welding device 1. In particular, remote diagnosis, remoteerror-searching and servicing or status checks of the welding device 1can be operated remotely. Consequently, the reliability of the weldingdevice and the quality of the welding processes operated with thewelding device 1 can be guaranteed and stoppages of the welding device 1prevented since faults can be detected early.

On the other hand, it would also be possible to forward all data forindividual welding parameters or codes for an individual configurationof the welding device 1 via the network 25 and the communicationsinterface 23 or read off this data from the welding device 1 in order tocontrol the welding processes. Data relating to the operation of thewelding device 1, such as the duration of use, operation timing, thewelding settings or similar, can be retrieved by a network participant37 or this data can be automatically transferred from the welding device1 to other network participants 37 for processing or evaluation.

Likewise, it would also be possible to retrieve data relating to theoperating supplies for the welding device 1, e.g. the quantity and/orthe nature of the welding electrodes, the fusible welding wire 13, theinert gases used and similar, to be transferred via the sensor system 49co-operating with the welding device 1 across the network 25 and thecommunications interface 23 or automatically transferred from thecontrol and/or evaluation unit 4 to other network participants 37 forevaluation and a decision as to whether steps need to be taken. Datarelating to parts of the welding device 1 susceptible to wear, e.g. thecontact sleeve, the gas nozzle or similar, can also be selectivelyretrieved via the sensor system 49 across the network 25 or transmittedto at least one other network participant 37 either periodically orbefore a critical state is reached, enabling appropriate steps to betaken.

By networking the welding device 1 and by providing the sensor system49, the control and/or evaluation unit 4 will also be able to makeservice recommendations or specify desired service times and specificservice requirements. Furthermore, automatic messages about stocks ofoperating supplies or specific orders for operating supplies can be sentby the welding device 1 to specific network participants 37, e.g. a gasor welding wire supplier.

Data and software modules are preferably transmitted from the weldingdevice 1 to the respective network participant 37 with a specificaddress 52 or vice versa via the INTRANET 33 within site-related regionsor worldwide via the INTERNET 34.

In order to link the welding device 1 to the primary network 25, inparticular the INTERNET 34, the control and/or evaluation unit 4 or itscomputer unit 35 has a standardized communications interface 23. Thewelding device 1 is connected via this communications interface 23 to acoupling device 54 in the form of an external or internal modem 55 oralternatively by an appropriate network card 56, for example.

If using an external modem 55 in particular, the standardizedcommunications interface 23 of the welding device 1 or its computer unit35 will be a serial interface, in particular a RS 232 interface.

An external communication can be set up across the network 25 by meansof the coupling device 54 in the form of the modem 55 or the networkcard 56 provided in the welding device 1. The coupling device 54provided in the welding device 1 in the form of the modem 55 can be usedto establish an external connection or to make a dial-up connectionacross the telephone network for a reliable data transfer or to exchangedata over a large area.

The welding device 1 is operated and/or controlled from the input and/oroutput device 22, in which case an input device 57 is provided asstandard and an output device 58 may be provided as an option. Operationof the input and/or output device 22 may be menu-driven so that the userwill not need any previous special knowledge of the system in order tobe able to make a transfer over the INTERNET 34 or the INTRANET 33.

The input device 57 enables the welding device 1 to be operated and/ornavigated in order to select specific data from the data base of awelding technology data bank 59. This technical data bank 59 may formpart of the filing system of a remotely located data bank driver oralternatively may be a technical data bank 59 within the companycontaining data primarily relating to welding.

The input device 57 may have standard components such as a keyboard, apointer device, a push-stick type control element or several operatingelements in the form of rotating and/or sliding elements with keyingand/or switching functions.

The optional output device 58 may also have standard components such asa monitor, a display or similar. Data retrieved from the primary network25 and/or data managed by the control and/or evaluation unit 4 and/ordata entered from the input unit 57 may be viewed using this outputdevice 58. In addition or alternatively, the output device 58 may alsohave acoustic means so that relevant data or statuses can be indicatedby signals.

The primary advantage of using the personal computer 36 as the controland/or evaluation unit 4 of the welding device 1 is that standard inputand/or output devices 22 can be used, such as monitors and keyboards.

Similarly, a combined input and output device 22 may be used with thewelding device 1, for example in the form of a touch screen, which willmake it much easier for the welding engineer to use or adjust thewelding device 1, whilst keeping space requirements to a minimum.

The control and/or evaluation unit 4 or the personal computer 36 of thewelding device 1 has a sequencing system software module or acorresponding operating system. The software modules to be run by thecomputer unit 35 or the personal computer 36 of the welding device 1 arepreferably of the object-oriented type. The software module for thesequencing system or operating system is designed to integrate theobject-oriented software modules in the control programme. This beingthe case, the HTTP servers 24, 27 may also be based on a software moduleof this type, in which case this software module will be activated bythe control and/or evaluation unit 4 in readiness for a datatransmission enabling corresponding data to be received by ortransmitted from the welding device 1.

The sequencing system software module may be stored in an EPROM memorymodule. Unlike hard disks, this non-volatile memory system 53 does notuse magnetic data recording so that the likelihood of it causinginterference, particularly in strong electromagnetic fields, e.g. inwelding fields, is very low. Similarly, intermediate results or processdata of the welding device 1 may be stored in a memory system 53provided in the form of a RAM memory and/or EEPROM memory.

The control programme run by the control and/or evaluation unit 4 ispreferably written using a programming language specially designed fornetwork applications. The control programme and its software modules arepreferably written in JAVA source language. In order to translate theJAVA source code, the control and/or evaluation unit 4 or the computerunit 35 of the welding device 1 will have a JAVA interpreter. This JAVAinterpreter translates the JAVA source code into a format that can beprocessed by the target hardware, in other words the control and/orevaluation unit 4.

Optionally, the processor of the control and/or evaluation unit 4 or thecomputer unit 35 may be a JAVA processor, which will process the controlprogramme written in JAVA directly.

As may best be seen from FIG. 1, the communications interface 23 of thewelding device 1 may also be set up in the form of a wirelesscommunications interface 23. This wireless communications interface 23of the welding device 1 is designed to communicate with a mobiletelephone 60, as explained earlier. The communications interface 23 ispreferably an infrared interface 61 for transmitting and/or receivinginfrared signals 62 representing the respective data. If thecommunications interface 23 is provided as an infrared interface 61, itwill be set up in such a way that it is able to connect with the mobiletelephone 60, in particular with an infrared interface 63 of the mobiletelephone 60. A two-way or alternatively only a one-way datatransmission route 64 can be set up between the infrared interface 61 ofthe welding device 1 and the infrared interface 63 of the mobiletelephone 60, via which the respective data can be transmitted in theform of infrared signals 62. Clearly, it would also be possible for themobile telephone 60 or a wireless modem to be integrated in the weldingdevice 1 itself, enabling a connection to be set up at any time and atany site without the need for additional elements such as connectingcables or an additional mobile telephone 60.

The welding device 1 is connected to the primary network 25 via themobile telephone 60, a dial-up connection being made across the publicor a private telephone network to the respective communicationtransmission system or communication partner. It would also be possibleto establish a direct connection with a communication partner withoutthe primary network 25, for which purpose a data connection will beestablished between the two HTTP servers 24 and 27.

The respective welding process data, data for the parameter settings andsoftware modules in this case are transmitted via electromagnetic waves65, which can be emitted and received by the mobile telephone 60. Thetransmission of data between the mobile telephone 60 and the respectivecommunication transmission system or communication partner may be madeacross a very large distance in a known manner.

The connecting structure between the mobile telephone 60 and thecommunication transmission system or communication partner is preferablyinitiated manually by the user of the welding device 1 using the keypadof the mobile telephone 60 to make a dial-up connection. The dial-upconnection may optionally be to a servicing department, suppliers ofoperating equipment, technical data banks 59 and welding data bankscontaining the respective welding settings for the impending weldingprocess or similar.

Instead of the mobile telephone 60, it would also be possible to use astationary transmitter and/or receiver unit 66 mounted and installed inthe welding device 1 as a means of transmitting and /or receivingelectromagnetic waves 65.

As may best be seen from FIG. 4, a programming and/or data display unit67 may optionally be connected to the welding device 1 or be placed incontact with it via the network 25. This programming and/or data displayunit 67 is designed for entering data into the welding device 1 and/orfor outputting and displaying data from the welding device 1. Theprogramming and/or display unit 67 may also be linked into the primarynetwork 25 so that a specific welding device 1 may be selected andcalled via the INTERNET 34 using its address 52. The programming and/ordisplay unit 67, provided as a stand-alone unit, may also be directlyconnected to the welding device 1 via the communications interface 23.Furthermore, the programming and/or display unit 67 may also be used asa means of taking readings of faults and/or carrying out maintenance.

For the sake of good order, it should finally be pointed out that inorder to provide a clearer understanding of how the welding device isbuilt, it and its constituent parts are illustrated out of proportionand/or on an enlarged scale and/or on a reduced scale.

The objective of the invention and the independent inventive solutionsproposed by the invention may be found in the description.

Above all, the individual embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4may be construed as the subject matter of independent solutions proposedby the invention in their own right. The objectives and solutionsproposed by the invention may be taken from the detailed descriptions ofthese drawings.

List of Reference Numbers

1 Welding device

2 Current source

3 Power component

4 Control and/or evaluation system

5 Switching element

6 Control valve

7 Supply line

8 Gas

9 Gas storage

10 Welding torch

11 Wire feed device

12 Supply line

13 Welding wire

14 Supply drum

15 Arc

16 Workpiece

17 Supply line

18 Supply line

19 Cooling circuit

20 Flow indicator

21 Water container

22 Input and/or output device

23 Communications interface

24 HTTP server

25 Network

26 Personal computer

27 HTTP server

28 Network cable

29 Network interface

30 Network socket

31 Network (LAN)

32 Network (WAN)

33 INTRANET

34 INTERNET

35 Computer unit

36 Personal computer

37 Network participant

38 User site

39 User site

40 User site

41 User site

42 User site

43 User site

44 Personal computer

45 Data storage system

46 Data display unit

47 Automation system

48 Field bus system

49 Sensor system

50 Data protection system

51 Access system

52 Address

53 Memory system

54 Modem

55 Modem

56 Network card

57 Input device

58 Output device

59 Technical data bank

60 Mobile telephone

61 Infrared interface

62 Infrared signal

63 Infrared interface

64 Data transmission route

65 Waves (electromagnetic)

66 Transmitter and/or receiver unit

67 programming and/or data display unit

What is claimed is:
 1. A welding device in communication with a computernetwork comprising: a) a current source for supplying electrical energyto the welding device; b) at least one electrode in communication withsaid current source; c) a housing; d) a control and evaluation unit incommunication with said current source disposed in said housing; e) atleast one memory system disposed in said housing and in communicationwith said control and evaluation unit, said memory system for storing aset of welding parameters and a set of instructions for controlling saidcontrol and evaluation unit; f) a communications interface disposed insaid housing coupled to said control and evaluation unit for two waydata exchange between said control and evaluation unit and the computernetwork; g) at least one sensor system in communication with saidcommunication interface for detecting data relevant to welding duringoperation of the welding device; and h) a HTTP server disposed of saidhousing and in communication with said communication interface whereinsaid HTTP server is for receiving information from the computer networkincluding welding parameters and forwarding this information onto saidcontrol and evaluation unit and wherein said HTTP server is forreceiving information from said communication interface in a form ofwelding parameters wherein this information is transmitted over thecomputer network to other computers wherein said HTTP server is forrelaying information relating to the welding device while said controland evaluation unit is for controlling the welding device based uponthis information from the server.
 2. The device as in claim 1, whereinsaid HTTP server is integrated with said welding device and said currentsource.
 3. The device as in claim 1, wherein said HTTP server isdisposed external to said welding device and said current source.
 4. Thewelding device as in claim 1, wherein said HTTP server forms aconnection with a network which includes at least one additional HTTPserver.
 5. The welding device as in claim 4, wherein said network is inthe form of the internet.
 6. The welding device as in claim 1, whereinsaid control and evaluation unit is a complete unit which operates viaat least one software module or a control program and processes andprepares received data or data to be transmitted.
 7. The welding deviceas in claim 6, wherein said at least one software module can bedownloaded via a local area network to said control and evaluation unit.8. The welding device as in claim 6 wherein said at least one softwaremodule is an object oriented software modules.
 9. The welding device asin claim 8, wherein said control and evaluation unit has a softwaremodule for a sequencing system or operating system for integrating theobject-oriented software modules and processing control program.
 10. Thewelding device as in claim 9, wherein said control and evaluation unitoperates said software modules on a cyclical or interrupt-controlledbasis.
 11. The welding device as in claim 10, wherein said softwaremodules are written in a JAVA source language.
 12. The welding device asin claim 1, wherein said communication interface is a ICP/IP interfacethat enables communication to be operated using a TCP/IP protocol. 13.The welding device as in claim 1, wherein said communications interfaceis designed as a link to a local area network.
 14. The welding device asin claim 1, wherein said control and evaluation unit has a standardizedinterface, and wherein said communications interface is a modem.
 15. Thewelding device as in claim 1, wherein said control and evaluation unithas a standardized interface, and wherein said communications interfaceis a network card.
 16. The welding device as in claim 15, wherein saidcontrol and evaluation unit is a standardized interface that is a serialinterface in the form of a RS 232 interface.
 17. The welding device asin claim 1, wherein said communications interface can be used todownload or upload data for a welding process or welding codes.
 18. Thewelding device as in claim 1, wherein said communications interface isused to transmit data relating to operating supplies and operatingstatuses including, the quantity and nature of a welding electrode, anamount of fusible welding wire, M level of any inert gas necessary forwelding, or data relating to components susceptible to wear, a positionof a contact sleeve, a position of a gas nozzle, wherein thisinformation can be transmitted to other computers on the network viasaid communication interface.
 19. The welding device as in claim 1,wherein said communications interface is in communication with thecomputer network to receive or transmit in cycles, data relating to theoperation of the welding device including the duration of use, timing ofusage, and welding settings.
 20. The welding device as in claim 1,wherein said input is set to operate said welding device and to navigateand select data from a set of data files in a technical data base foruse with welding technology.
 21. The welding device as in claim 20,wherein said input device comprises a keyboard, a pointer device, apush-stick control member at least one rotating or sliding member withkeying or switching functions.
 22. The welding device as in claim 1,further comprising an output device for displaying a set of data thatcan be input by said input device, managed by said control andevaluation unit or retrieved by said computer network which can then bedisplayed on said output device.
 23. The welding device as in claim 22,wherein said control and evaluation unit comprises a personal computer,and wherein said output device is in the form of a monitor.
 24. Thewelding device as in claim 1, wherein said control and evaluationcircuit has a JAVA interpreter.
 25. The welding device as in claim 1,wherein said control and evaluation circuit has a JAVA processor. 26.The welding device as in claim 1, wherein said communications interfaceis a wireless communications interface that sets up a wireless datatransmission route to a desired communication or transmission partner.27. The welding device as in claim 1, wherein said communicationsinterface is an infrared interface for transmitting and receivinginfrared signals between said welding device and a mobile telephone. 28.The welding device as in claim 27, wherein said infrared interface ofsaid communications interface is set to connect with an infraredinterface of a mobile telephone.
 29. The device as in claim 1, furthercomprising a programming and display unit wherein said communicationsinterface connects directly with said programming and display unit. 30.The device as in claim 1 wherein said memory unit is an EEPROM memoryunit for storing said set of instructions which include instructionsrelating to a sequencing software for said control and evaluation unit.31. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a cooling unit forcooling said electrodes when the electrode reaches a temperature thatexceeds a preset operating temperature.
 32. The device as in claim 31,further comprising at least one flow indicator, wherein said flowindicator is in communication with said control and evaluation unit tocontrol a temperature of said electrode.
 33. A method for operating awelding device in communication with a computer network comprising acurrent source; a housing; a control and evaluation unit incommunication with said current source disposed in said housing; acommunications interface in communication with said control andevaluation unit disposed in said housing; at least one sensor system incommunication with said communications interface, a web server disposedin said housing in communication with said communications interface, themethod comprising the steps of: supplying electrical energy from saidcurrent source to at least one electrode in communication with thecurrent source; monitoring a set of welding parameters of the weldingunit during operation using the sensor system; exchanging data in twodirections between said control and evaluation unit and the computernetwork, via the communications interface, through a communicationsnetwork, the information including said welding parameters, andforwarding this information onto said control and evaluation unit; andrunning at least one software module on said control and evaluationunit, wherein said at least one software module receives instructions inthe form of data exchanged over the computer network to control awelding process and wherein said web server which is separate from saidcontrol and evaluation unit, transmits and receives data relating tosaid welding parameters.
 34. The method as in claim 33, furthercomprising the step of: transmitting codes across the computer networkto control the software modules which are run by said control andevaluation unit.
 35. The method as in claim 34, further comprising thestep of: transmitting operating data relating to operating supplies, andoperating statuses including data relating to components susceptible towear, a position of a contact sleeve, a position of a gas nozzle,through said communication interface through the communications networkto another server on the network.
 36. The method as in claim 35, furthercomprising the step of: downloading servicing requirement messages andservice requests including messages relating to stocks of operatingsupplies and orders for operating supplies from said control andevaluation unit to another server on the communication network.
 37. Themethod as in claim 33, further comprising the step of: downloadingservicing requirement messages and service requests including messagesrelating to stocks of operating supplies and orders for operatingsupplies from said control and evaluation unit to another server on thecommunications network.
 38. The method as in claim 33, wherein saidcommunications network is in the form of the internet.